This Vashon Beach Cottage Feels Like Your Own Private Island

This 1930 beach cottage on Vashon Island couldn’t be built today. That isn’t just a comment on its cozy vintage details—homes are no longer allowed to be as close to the water as this one is, especially at high tide.

Located along 120 feet of shoreline on the west side of the island, the back door is just steps from two docks above a rocky beach. That beach is part of Fern Cove on the Colvos Passage, a federally-protected wildlife area. Eagles, orcas, and otters are not uncommon sights.

A small pier mingles with a backyard to create a backyard landscape with waterfront patios and plenty of green space. Above, a large deck looks out over the water for watching wildlife and sunsets alike.Inside, airy spaces with large windows perfect for taking in the beach. A combination living and dining room, lined with wood slats, is topped with wood-grain exposed beams. A large fireplace on one side is perfect for stormier days.The west side of the room is lined with window benches. A partially-vaulted ceiling above creates a sliver of dynamic space for curling up with a book.

The cottage is full of cozy nooks like this. In the kitchen, a plush little bench nestles inside a bay window. Upstairs in the master suite, another window bench faces the water.

The home has two bedrooms—but plenty of room for guests, thanks to a cedar bunkhouse built exclusively from wood on the island. It sleeps three in little built-in lofts nestled below the vaulted ceiling.

Despite being a 10-minute drive from the ferry dock, this home is a little off the beaten path. It’s so secluded that it’s only accessible by a three-minute ride on a private aerial tram. Think of it like a slower, more contained zipline through the evergreens.

This uniquely Vashon home on two thirds of an acre of beachfront and forest is listed for $1.18 million.